If your troop does not know how to run a TLT?

[moosetracker 132]

When JLT was around, the district ran the JLT, the troop sent there boy leaders to it. Then they dropped it. The troop was clueless on how to run a JLT

For a woodbadge ticket, I picked up an instruction book on JLT, organized it and we ran it once for my ticket.. Later someone reran it. But the 2nd time around, some boys had alredy gone through the excercises so it did not have as great an effect. (Obviously though if we only ran it twice, we didn't do it as often as we should have.

 

TLT I read through it, and I'm sure that if presented well, it is not as boring as it looks. But, our troop will probably never do it.. (I'm committee, so really I can gently encourage, but really not initiate..

 

I was at a training and someone brought up TLT, blah, blah,.. I said "Great, if you know how to run one.. I fear my troop doesn't"..

 

He gave me a great idea, but I was wondering if other people had ideas how to get the SM & ASM's confident enough to run one.

 

He suggested we ask a troop that knows how to run one to have their SPL & other youth leaders, come over and help us organize us and help us run our first one..

 

Are there other idea's.. The more choices I have to offer the Unit Leaders the more apt we might get a winner.

 

The one problem with the above suggestion is our troop is experiencing our boys jumping to other troops, due to the fact our SM is not that great.. So the Leaders fear intermingling with other troops fearing more boys will jump.. This would definatly show their boys at their best as a "boy lead program".. I can see where other will jump..

 

But, to continue to run a poor program, and just play games to try to keep boys from jumping is not good either..

 

(This troop was excellent, one of the top units while my son was in it. But it is in the downward cycle. Luckily my son has made Eagle, and is looking to jump himself to a better troop.. My husband is really the only one trying to stay on to see one more boy he likes make it to eagle, and is trying to make the expirence better for him. But, he now has to force himself to go to meetings. I will give any of your ideas to him to give to the troop, I left out of boredom about 6 months back.)

[Eamonn 61]

Seems to me that the Troop has a lot more to deal with than just running a youth training!

 

A Troop will only ever survive as long as the adults involved in it are willing to do what it takes to get the job done.

If everyone has one eye on the door and can't wait to get the heck away? Why even bother?

Sounds like the SM needs all the help and support he can get.

Much as I hate to be disagreeable, I don't think having an adult just hanging around till his "Blue-eyed Favorite Scout" makes Eagle is in keeping with the Scout Law.

When a Troop needs help with anything to do with training the District Training Chairman is the go to person.

Ea.

[moosetracker 132]

The way you put it you are correct.. You are right, I made it sound that way.

 

My husband has been the only one that has kept everyone there for the 1 1/2 years this SM has been SM.. Me for a year, then I gave up.. He runs advancement, troopmaster, goes on all the outings that were not canceled by the SM (or they wouldn't have the 2 deep leadership).. He is the one that is getting all the phone calls from other parents who are upset by the SM. During this time he has tried to support the SM to the parents & tried to advise the SM on different methods to use. Most the scouts & parents tell him he just can't leave. He is currently very valuable to the troop.. But, after 1 1/2 years he is tired, it is 2 to 3 times harder trying to fix things in the troop this way then if he was SM himself. So yes, he gave himself a deadline of this one scout.. He has to give himself some deadline, because things just don't get better.

 

But, he keeps on trying and keeps on hoping, and if they can turn things around before his deadline, then he would probably stay on. At least my husband is continuing to try. If you want to call someone out. You can do so with me who has given up, or with my son, who has decided to leave..

 

We have decided it is hopeless.. My husband is still trying to fight on.. At least the committee is looking into the problem. Before they avoided it.. Now they are looking at it.. "There solution".. Have lots of Adults prop up the SM.. Hmmm.. Why are they now jumping on board to fix the problem.. Because they now are aware my husband is not a "forever" timer, if things aren't fixed.

 

So the TLT is an attempt to "fix".. Maybe the SM, will let the boys run things if he witnesses them being trained to run things.

[Eamonn 61]

I spent last week away from home at our DOC Academy attending a course on how to be a better Staff Trainer.

While not really part of what we were trying to do?? One of the lesson plans we were presenting was on Managing Stress.

Part of this was being able to recognize when someone is having stress.

The syllabus stated that one sign was people coming to work in clothes that were in need of pressing and shoes that weren't polished.

The lead instructor was playing the devils advocate and asked if everyone who came to work with un-polished shoes and a messy uniform was having stress?

The answer was of course not.

She went on to ask that if it wasn't stress what was it?

I, being me!! Said that we can fix a lot of things but we can't fix stupid.

I'm not saying that everyone who comes to work looking scruffy is stupid and I would never say that a SM is stupid.

Still I very much doubt if this course will bring about that much of a change in an adult leader.

Can he change?

I don't know.

I would go back and make my list of options!

1/ Do nothing -Always an option.

What do you think will happen?

2/Find a nice way of asking him to step down.

What might happen?

3/ Meet with the COR, CC and the CO and explain why he is not the best person for this job.

Who will fill his shoes? Are you better off with the devil you know?

4/ Have the everyone involved with the Troop bend over back wards to help and support this fellow. Help him make plans that will work, help him get whatever training he might need.

5/ Don't waste your time on this guy! Tell him he is a lost cause and the Troop is going to fail and it's all his fault.

It kinda helps when you look at what your options are to keep the Scout Oath and Law in mind. That bit about helping other people at all times and doing your best is very powerful stuff.

Ea.

[moosetracker 132]

Well.. The boys approached the commitee and asked for a new SM.. They even suggested who they wanted. The CC has talked to the parents and know there is a real issue..

 

The guy is nice enough, but the boys were not happy when he took SM because even as ASM, he puts his own sons first. Somehow finds a way to make a scout minute take 15 minutes.. and other things..

 

The COR & CC do not want to hurt his feeling by asking him to step down. So they have come up with a plan to have the COMMITTEE take over the running of the troop, in order to help him.. The COMMITTEE is now setting up the troop program, The COMMITTEE is forcing the PLC to be moved to a different night so that the COMMITTEE members can attend... The COMMITTEE will assign the ASM jobs, since the SM can not delegate anything to them.. etc. etc. etc.

 

My husband tried to tell them that though changes were needed, they were overstepping their bounds.. But, the COR just this weekend went to COR training, figured out that yes she is powerful, and yes she is entitled to take over the running of the Troop (in order to help out the SM)..

 

So we will now have people involved and supporting the SM.. But, I fear, not the best solution.. The troop may even run better. But, I fear A) it will still be Adult lead (more then by 1 person though).. B) there will be war in the Adult camps... And I fear the boys still will not get the troop that they want to have..

 

I was hoping TLT, could get people to focus on who is suppose to be leading... Guess not..

 

 

 

 

[johndeer 10]

You could try sending your scouts to Whitestag Phase 1 in Monterey Ca, and your adults to Woodbadge anywhere. Just a thought...

[Eamonn 61]

There is a big difference between "Help and support" and taking over.

COR don't take over a unit!

When a suitable adult can't be found, this would fall on the Committee Chair.

 

Sad as it might be, there are times when the best thing that can happen is for a unit to fold.

I'm thinking from what has been posted that might be the case here.

Scoutmasters should be taking care of the program side of running the Troop.

The Committee should be the management body.

Sure the COR and the Committee select and approve the adults who will lead the Troop.

If they have messed up and selected the wrong person, they need to take steps to correct that situation.

A SM should have a very special bond with the Scouts he or she serves, especially with the Youth Leaders (PLC).

All the Training's in the world aren't worth tiddly if the participants when they get back to the Troop they came from are not allowed to put the skills they have learned into practice. This applies to youth and adult members.

I really think if I were this SM and had to put up with this committee, I'd last about a New York minute and then I'd be gone!

Maybe that's what this committee is trying to do?

I'd much prefer, if it was me. That they came straight out and thanked me for my past services.

Ea.

[moosetracker 132]

Your right Eamonn.. That is why we supported the scouts decision to replace the SM.

 

#1) It is their program, and if they are that upset about the SM, then should the adults listen to them.

#2) Save the feelings of the SM? What's the difference if you hurt him by "Thanking him for his effort, Letting him know you have a replacement for him, and asking if he would like to return to being an ASM.. Or if you tell him because the troop is not working well, he can remain a figure head, but other people will manipulate him behind the scene?

 

If they go this direction, anyone who takes over for this guy later on will have a hard time, getting them back into the position they should be in.

 

There problem with letting him go is he was hit a year or so ago by the recession. He has shifted his job, but I doubt it pays what his old one did. So they don't want to fire him from SM.. I understand there reasoning for not wanting to hurt him. But, I think it is inevitable. Because there solution isn't good either..

 

Right now the SM has an idea something is up.. So he is avoiding the COR & CC, so they can't speak with him. Maybe in the meantime, they will rethink their solution.

 

We just got a group of crossovers with ACTIVE Parents.. Ones who want to go on events and be ASM's. And want to do jobs on the committee. We haven't had ACTIVE Parents come in for years! That's hope for the future of this troop, if the SM doesn't loose more the 50% of them, in the next few months, and if the adults don't start an war. And if the new adults do not learn the wrong way a troop is run.. (that's alot of ands)..